Council in financial trouble sending staff on £10k trip to US

A SCOTS council facing a nine billion pound black hole is splashing out more than £10,000 to send staff to the United States – to greet some sailors.

Edinburgh City Council are preparing to send a delegation to greet the city’s entry in the round-the-world yacht race.

The plans would involve a senior council official leading the group to San Francisco next month and to New York in June when the Edinburgh Inspiring Capital Clipper visits.

Bosses – who are hoping to gain sponsorship to cover some of the costs – claim that the move would boost tourism and business links.

But opposition politicians are furious at the timing when the council has to find more than £90 million worth of savings in the next three years to ward off the biggest financial crisis in its history.

“Dismay”

They are slashing £1 million in funding to community and charity groups, leading to fears over the closure of small but important projects across the city.

Councillor Andrew Burns, leader of the Labour group on the city council, said: “I don’t think it is an appropriate time to be spending over £10,000 sending a delegation to America.

“The council is facing severe financial challenges and I am certain that those groups who will be losing grant funding will look at this with dismay.”